1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a metal hydride reactor which makes use of endothermic and exothermic reactions of metal hydrides.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been known that many metals or alloys (to be referred to simply as metals) reversibly react with hydrogen in accordance with the following scheme EQU [MH]+Q.revreaction.[M]+H.sub.2 .uparw.
wherein M represents a metal, and Q is the amount of heat generated, and generate heat during absorption of hydrogen and absorb heat during releasing of hydrogen. It is also known that since these metals have their own hydrogen equilibrium pressure characteristics, a combination of two metals having different hydrogen equilibrium pressure characteristics can be used in cooling and heating systems. For example, it was suggested to use two metals having different hydrogen equilibrium pressure characteristics in air-conditioning applications by putting them in different receptacles and connecting the two receptacles by a pipe through a valve, an electromagnetic valve or similar element. Such a device, however, has various defects. For example, because the receptacles are connected to each other by a pipe through a valve, an electromagnetic valve or similar element, its pressure resistance is poor. The ability of this device to seal up hydrogen gas is not sufficient, and it may invoke a danger of hydrogen leakage or a large pressure loss of hydrogen. Moreover, it is difficult to build this device in a continuous air-conditioning system or similar system.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 22151/1976 discloses an air-conditioning system comprising two sets of cooling-heating blocks each consisting of two communicating receptacles containing metal hydrides, each receptacle including a heater and a cooler. In operation, one of the receptacles in each set is alternately heated and cooled so that the other receptacle is utilized alternately as a cooling source and a heating source. Although this system does not use a pump or a compressor, it is complex in structure and difficult to maintain, and moreover, its heat efficiency is low. Hence, this system is unsuitable for continuous operation.